LibGuides Best Practices: Organization and Arrangement

1. LibGuides Best Practices: Organization and Arrangement Lauri C. Rebar Assistant University Librarian Florida Atlantic University lrebar@fau.edu

2. Standardization and Branding • LibGuides Manual for your Institution • Write your Own or Pattern from Others • Profiles: • avatars • photos • Chat, Facebook, Twitter, email • Linked In, blog, website and MORE • type of profile • librarian • subject specialist

3. Standardization and Branding • Incorporate your Institution’s Branding • Other Conventions: • Font • Font Sizes • Color Conventions • Widgets • Naming Conventions of Guides • Title of Guides (Subject and Class) • Friendly URLs • Spelling Conventions • web site, website

4. Standardization and Branding • LibGuides Manual for your Institution • Categories and Tagging • Determine who will create or add to these • Admin Alert Boxes in Dashboard: • Link to LibGuides Manual and other helpful items

5. Standardization - Sandbox • Sandbox of reusable boxes for all • Organize by subject matter • Review and update frequently Link to original box OR…. Copy original box and make changes

6. Standardization – Reuse/Link • Create a Sandbox of reusable pages and boxes as a guide. • Include several similar boxes of the same basic information that can be used in your library’s LibGuides. • Update these pages and boxes on a regular basis. • Organization and maintenance of this information is key to people consistently linking to standardized content.

7. Standardization – Reuse/Link • Reusing Links • Consistently reuse links • Don’t reinvent the wheel… Reuse the link!

8. Standardization – Reuse/Link • Object: you will only have to update in one place when changes occur. • When putting in new boxes, check to see if you can reuse an existing box. • When putting links in boxes, check to see if you can reuse an existing link. • If your institution is using the A-Z list of databases, this is ideal place to have all users link to the various databases.

9. Pages / Tabs • Tab = page • Reuse Existing Pages – Link or Copy

10. Pages / Tabs • One line of tabs per page only • Easier to read • Adjust titles of tabs as needed • Reorder tabs as needed before publishing • order of presentation for a class guide • order of importance for a class or subject guide

11. Pages / Tabs • Do not leave empty columns on a page • Create a “flow” within each page, by leading the eyes. • Enhance “flow” by using horizontal images, color, graphics, etc.

12. Subpages • Subpages • Use rarely • Keep “main page” blank to automatically create list of subpages

13. Boxes • When in doubt, create new box as a “Rich Text” box • This is the most versatile box • “Keep your options open” when you are not certain how you want your box to look. • You can change this box into any other type of box after it is created. • To change: • Top right corner of box: Edit • Edit Box Info • Box Type

14. Boxes • Use a variety of types of boxes to create an appealing mix of media • Text – • Font sizes, colors, and styles focus attention • Interact with users by using hyperlinked text • Less is more. • From “Using LibGuides (For Librarians)” by Alicia Ellison, LibrarianHillsborough Community College http://libguides.hccfl.edu/ccla_webcast

15. Boxes • Titles of all boxes should be visible without scrolling down the page. • Adjust column size and box placement

16. Columns • Column sizes • Create large columns or columns of equal size for large items such as videos or tables. • Use smaller columns as sidebars for • Small images (create visual interest) • Navigation or hints information • Creating a flow to the page of text, images, videos, etc. • Adjust columns as needed prior to publication.

17. Images • A picture can be worth a thousand words! • Arrange images in your hard drive in folders • Use separate boxes or align within text boxes • Add borders, titles, hyperlinks, and/or pixels of blank space around an image

18. Bulleted Lists & Link Lists • Easy to sort • Easy to read • Use a Links Box – • Bad links will be found using Link Checker • Easy to reorder • Add descriptions • Track usage statistics • Use Rich Text Box and choose a bullet format • Link reliability will not be checked by Link Checker • Easy to use – but no special features • No usage statistics available for bulleted lists

19. Tables • Easily align information, including text and images • Most helpful for columns and spacing issues • Can add hyperlinks to tables • Check LibGuides FAQ or Help for additional info

20. General Tips • Be consistent in the style of all of your guides. • Adjust image and video sizes for best fit in the box (see detailed information at end of this PowerPoint on how to do this). • Get ideas about LibGuides from other institutions – get permission as needed to copy information, boxes, etc. • Get familiar with HTML. Invest in a reference guide or book, or refer to good websites so you can read HTML and make minor adjustments.

21. General Tips • Check these again before the guide is published. • text style (paragraph, heading, etc.) • font style and characteristics (Arial, bold) • font size and • Open all linked items in a New Window. • Have someone else review your guide for flow, content, etc. • Check all of your links before publishing.

22. General Tips • Explore new features in LibGuides as they become available. • Reflect new features and training in your LibGuides Training Manual and Institutional Sandbox/Toolbox. • Review “Best Of” guides, blog, Lounge, and training materials from Springshare. Have Fun!!!

23. LibGuides Help • LibGuides FAQ: http://guidefaq.com/ • LibGuides Help and Documentation: Guide Help by Topic: http://help.springshare.com/index.php?gid=179 • Springy News: http://help.springshare.com/index.php?gid=2046 • Springshare Lounge: http://springsharelounge.com/ • LibGuides Community (Searchable list of all LibGuides Subscribers): http://libguides.com/community.php • LibGuides “Best Of”: http://bestof.libguides.com/

24. Great How-To Guides • Boston College -http://libguides.bc.edu/gettingstarted • Butler University - http://libguides.butler.edu/getting_started • Central Michigan University - http://libguides.ocls.cmich.edu/content.php?pid=14072 • Hillsborough Community College – http://libguides.hccfl.edu/ccla_webcast • MIT - https://wikis.mit.edu/confluence/display/LIBGUIDESTF/Guidelines • Check the LibGuides Community Site, Best of, and Help sites for more Great How-To Guides!

25. Detailed instructions: resizing videos or images • Use this formula to keep same proportions:480 / 250 = 310 / ? original width/original height = new width/ ? height. • Find current video dimensions (in pixels). Show as fraction480/250 (original width/original height). • Check width of column containing video or image (340). Subtract 30 (pixels). 340 – 30 = 310 (new video width). • Multiply original height by new width (250 x 310 = 77,500). • Divide that number by original width (77,500 ÷ 480 = 161.45). • Result will be the number for the new height (= 161 rounded). • New video measurements will be 310 width x 161 height.